When heading on a night out, it’s always hard to know what to bring with you and what to leave behind. Yes, yes. We know you definitely need to bring that bronzer, and those flip flops for the walk home and that can of hairspray and those six tubes of lip gloss…

But being laden-down with stuff on a night out can be a bit of a nightmare. It’s crap having to lug a heavy handbag around all night, and if you’re carting a huge bag with you, you have to keep an eye on it, least someone nicks a few of your belongings.

Are you tired of taking everything but the kitchen sink with you on your weekend adventures? Are you ready to cull the contents of your going out bag and bring only the bare minimum?

Here is the Her.ie guide to the handbag essentials that you’ll need on a night out...

1. A cheap tube of mascara that you don’t mind losing (ditto lipstick): When you’re applying your make-up for the night ahead, use your best lippie and mascara. When it’s time to pack your going out bag, throw in a cheap mascara and lipstick that match the colours you’re already wearing.

In fairness, you’ll only be using them for a few touch-ups here and there and what do you think you’d be more upset about losing? The nude lipstick that cost you €3 or the brand new YSL one that cost you €30?

2. Vaseline: Vaseline is the ultimate handbag essential. Fact. You can use it to highlight your cheekbones and give them a dewy glow, you can use it to plump up your lips, you can use it as an impromptu make-up remover AND, if your shoes are rubbing on your heels, you can slather this wonder-product on your sore spots to soothe them.

Vaseline is also super-helpful if you accidentally cut yourself because it can stop the bleeding and you can use it to flatten down and fly-away hairs. This is a must have!

3. Plasters: Always have one or two plasters in your handbag on a night out. You never know what you might need them for: a friend’s knee after a dance floor/high heel related incident, a blister on your foot, to hold your dress together…the list is endless.

4. Safety Pins: Like plasters, these are super-important. You might think that a wardrobe mishap will never happen to you on a night out, but trust us, there will come a night when you will be seriously grateful you have a spare safety pin in your bag.

5. Emergency Taxi Money: Before you head out, take €20 (or however much a taxi home will cost you) and hide it somewhere in your bag/on your person. We don’t mean to scare you, but you never know what might happen and when you could find yourself in need of some taxi money.

If you have a secret stash at least you’ll always know that you can get yourself home at the end of a night.